In a move that could affect operations at Moomba and Barrow Island, about 70 Transport Workers Union members employed by National Jet voted unanimously in Perth yesterday to have collective union agreements replace their current individual workplace agreements.
Meetings will also be held for pilots in Darwin and Cairns later in the week, but TWU organiser Rick Burton told MiningNews.net the outcome of those meetings will not affect today’s result which has already received majority endorsement.
Burton said the TWU will lodge an application to Australia’s Industrial Relations Commission tomorrow to seek approval for a secret ballot to be held among members, and then pilots will decide what type of action to take.
Any industrial action, including strikes, would take place in around three weeks.
Burton added the industrial campaign could include a range of actions including four hour and rolling stoppages, and placing work bans in respect to flying times.
The pilots are aiming to get back some conditions included in their collective agreement that were given away under the AWAs.
Burton said the conditions included issues such as training, promotion, equal pay and reasonable work hours.
National Jet released a short statement today in response to the recent events, confirming that all of its flights are running to schedule and will continue to do so.
“Its business as usual for National Jet and for all our customers,” National Jet chief executive Peter Nottage said.
“National Jet is confident of an agreement to renew AWAs for those pilots who are involved in current negotiations.”
National Jet general manager Greg Marshall said the bulk of the airline's fly-in, fly-out activities were to the Pilbara.
"We operate for Rio Tinto, Minara, Newcrest and have an aircraft for Bristow Helicopters," Marshall said.
The Bristow service involves National Jet flying people out to Barrow Island to link up to the helicopter company's service to oil and gas facilities off the WA coast.
Marshall also said the company had a BAE146 jet based in South Australia to cover Santos' Cooper Basin operations.
